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Ikenobo's Arranging Style

Ikenobo's Arranging Style

Rikka

Established in the Muromachi period, rikka is the oldest style of ikebana. By using various branches and plants rikka suggests the beauty of a whole natural landscape.
Rikka

What is expressed in rikka

Blooming flowers and lush greenery in all four seasons do not exist in isolation. Flowers bloom at appropriate times and trees and grasses put down roots where they are supposed to only when soil, sunlight, and water are available. It can be said that the beautiful natural landscapes we see are the result of the harmony of all things.
In rikka trees symbolize mountains, while grasses and flowers suggest water. A natural landscape is expressed in a single vase. Indeed, all things in nature are reflected. In rikka it is important through the harmony of trees and plants to come to know the laws of nature.
In rikka there are two styles: rikka shofutai with traditional form, and rikka shimputai with no set form.

Rikka Shofutai

Established in the Muromachi period, rikka developed with the times in ways such as growing in size and becoming more complex. Rikka shofutai is a style formalized as standard during the Meiji Period.
  • Rikka Shofutai
  • Rikka Shofutai
  • Rikka Shofutai

Characteristics of Rikka Shofutai

With Ikenobo’s traditional sense of beauty, rikka shofutai is composed primarily of seven or nine yakueda (main parts) reflecting the inner character of each plant. With complex and varied composition the natural beauty and dignity of plants are expressed.

Rikka Shimputai

Rikka shimputai was introduced by present Headmaster Sen’ ei Ikenobo in 1999 as rikka suited for contemporary spaces. Being free from set form, the movement of plants is emphasized in rikka shimputai.
  • Rikka Shimputai
  • Rikka Shimputai
  • Rikka Shimputai

Characteristics of Rikka Shimputai

Rikka shimputai is a new style of rikka focusing on expressiveness rather than beauty of set form. While based on the composition and sense of beauty found in traditional rikka, the characteristics of rikka shimputai include extension, freshness and luster of floral materials. By using various kinds of floral materials and with unexpected or contrasting combinations of floral materials, rikka shimputai expresses a beauty that is bright, sharp, and distinctive.

Shoka

Shoka is a style formalized in the late Edo Period. By using from one to three kinds of floral materials shoka expresses the living form of plants rooted in the soil and growing upward.
Shoka

What is expressed in Shoka

While rikka seeks beauty in the harmony among plants, shoka focuses on the shussho (inner beauty of a plant) that suggests a plant’s life. Shussho is the unique character of each plant, beauty discovered in the various growing forms of a plant as it makes every effort to live. Based on this inner beauty, the life of plants is elegantly and gracefully expressed arranged in a single vase.
In shoka there are two styles: shoka shofutai with traditional form, and shoka shimputai with no set form.

Shoka Shofutai

Established in the Meiji period, shoka shofutai is a style of small ikebana suitable for being placed in the tokonoma of a small Japanese traditional room.
  • Shoka Shofutai
  • Shoka Shofutai
  • Shoka Shofutai

Characteristics of Shoka Shofutai

Shoka consists of three yakueda (main parts) called shin, soe and tai, likened to three poles or functions (heaven, earth and mankind) considered since ancient times as the basis of all being. The inner beauty of plants can be seen in the form of the three yakueda responding to each other, emerging from the mizugiwa and extending upward.

Shoka Shimputai

Shoka shimputai was introduced by present Headmaster Sen’ei Ikenobo in 1977 as a new style of shoka suited to contemporary life styles.
  • Shoka Shimputai
  • Shoka Shimputai
  • Shoka Shimputai

Characteristics of Shoka Shimputai

Based on Ikenobo’s traditional sense of beauty, the beauty found in shoka shimputai comes from observing plants from various perspectives such as color, shape, texture, extension of leaves, and movement of stems. The inner beauty of plants not fitting the set forms of conventional shoka shofutai can be expressed in shoka shimputai.

Free Style

Free style is a style with no set form, literally arranged freely from observing the shapes and textures of plants. A wide range of expression is possible in free style.
Free Style

Ikebana that creates new space

Recent ikebana is appreciated not only in living spaces but also as display for decorating event spaces, stages and show windows. As a style arranged freely and without set rules, free style is utilized more and more as new ikebana for decorating with flowers in spaces and situations different from the tokonoma, where rikka and shoka were originally displayed.
  • Free Style
  • Free Style
  • Free Style